diff --git a/launcher/BaseVersionList.h b/launcher/BaseVersionList.h
index 673d13562..ba546e955 100644
--- a/launcher/BaseVersionList.h
+++ b/launcher/BaseVersionList.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class BaseVersionList : public QAbstractListModel {
      * The task returned by this function should reset the model when it's done.
      * \return A pointer to a task that reloads the version list.
      */
-    virtual Task::Ptr getLoadTask() = 0;
+    virtual Task::Ptr getLoadTask(bool forceReload = false) = 0;
 
     //! Checks whether or not the list is loaded. If this returns false, the list should be
     // loaded.
diff --git a/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.cpp b/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.cpp
index 254d5f468..1d7b9cdff 100644
--- a/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.cpp
+++ b/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ JavaInstallList::JavaInstallList(QObject* parent, bool onlyManagedVersions)
     : BaseVersionList(parent), m_only_managed_versions(onlyManagedVersions)
 {}
 
-Task::Ptr JavaInstallList::getLoadTask()
+Task::Ptr JavaInstallList::getLoadTask(bool forceReload)
 {
+    Q_UNUSED(forceReload)
     load();
     return getCurrentTask();
 }
diff --git a/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.h b/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.h
index c68c2a3be..58d1ad8ca 100644
--- a/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.h
+++ b/launcher/java/JavaInstallList.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class JavaInstallList : public BaseVersionList {
    public:
     explicit JavaInstallList(QObject* parent = 0, bool onlyManagedVersions = false);
 
-    Task::Ptr getLoadTask() override;
+    Task::Ptr getLoadTask(bool forceReload = false) override;
     bool isLoaded() override;
     const BaseVersion::Ptr at(int i) const override;
     int count() const override;
diff --git a/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.cpp b/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.cpp
index c809f851a..d638fd8b9 100644
--- a/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.cpp
+++ b/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.cpp
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@ QUrl BaseEntity::url() const
     return QUrl(metaOverride).resolved(localFilename());
 }
 
-Task::Ptr BaseEntity::loadTask(Net::Mode mode)
+Task::Ptr BaseEntity::loadTask(Net::Mode mode, bool forceReload)
 {
     if (m_task && m_task->isRunning()) {
         return m_task;
     }
-    m_task.reset(new BaseEntityLoadTask(this, mode));
+    m_task.reset(new BaseEntityLoadTask(this, mode, forceReload));
     return m_task;
 }
 
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ BaseEntity::LoadStatus BaseEntity::status() const
     return m_load_status;
 }
 
-BaseEntityLoadTask::BaseEntityLoadTask(BaseEntity* parent, Net::Mode mode) : m_entity(parent), m_mode(mode) {}
+BaseEntityLoadTask::BaseEntityLoadTask(BaseEntity* parent, Net::Mode mode, bool forceReload)
+    : m_entity(parent), m_mode(mode), m_force_reload(forceReload)
+{}
 
 void BaseEntityLoadTask::executeTask()
 {
@@ -149,13 +151,18 @@ void BaseEntityLoadTask::executeTask()
     auto wasLoadedOffline = m_entity->m_load_status != BaseEntity::LoadStatus::NotLoaded && m_mode == Net::Mode::Offline;
     // if has is not present allways fetch from remote(e.g. the main index file), else only fetch if hash doesn't match
     auto wasLoadedRemote = m_entity->m_sha256.isEmpty() ? m_entity->m_load_status == BaseEntity::LoadStatus::Remote : hashMatches;
-    if (wasLoadedOffline || wasLoadedRemote) {
+    if (wasLoadedOffline || (wasLoadedRemote && !m_force_reload)) {
         emitSucceeded();
         return;
     }
     m_task.reset(new NetJob(QObject::tr("Download of meta file %1").arg(m_entity->localFilename()), APPLICATION->network()));
     auto url = m_entity->url();
     auto entry = APPLICATION->metacache()->resolveEntry("meta", m_entity->localFilename());
+    if (m_force_reload) {
+        // clear validators so manual refreshes fetch a fresh body
+        entry->setETag({});
+        entry->setRemoteChangedTimestamp({});
+    }
     entry->setStale(true);
     auto dl = Net::ApiDownload::makeCached(url, entry);
     /*
diff --git a/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.h b/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.h
index 17aa0cb87..32d8bdbb8 100644
--- a/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.h
+++ b/launcher/meta/BaseEntity.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class BaseEntity {
     void setSha256(QString sha256);
 
     virtual void parse(const QJsonObject& obj) = 0;
-    [[nodiscard]] Task::Ptr loadTask(Net::Mode loadType = Net::Mode::Online);
+    [[nodiscard]] Task::Ptr loadTask(Net::Mode loadType = Net::Mode::Online, bool forceReload = false);
 
    protected:
     QString m_sha256;       // the expected sha256
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class BaseEntityLoadTask : public Task {
     Q_OBJECT
 
    public:
-    explicit BaseEntityLoadTask(BaseEntity* parent, Net::Mode mode);
+    explicit BaseEntityLoadTask(BaseEntity* parent, Net::Mode mode, bool forceReload);
     ~BaseEntityLoadTask() override = default;
 
     virtual void executeTask() override;
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ class BaseEntityLoadTask : public Task {
    private:
     BaseEntity* m_entity;
     Net::Mode m_mode;
+    bool m_force_reload = false;
     NetJob::Ptr m_task;
 };
 }  // namespace Meta
diff --git a/launcher/meta/VersionList.cpp b/launcher/meta/VersionList.cpp
index dfca52d87..fa3a271a6 100644
--- a/launcher/meta/VersionList.cpp
+++ b/launcher/meta/VersionList.cpp
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ VersionList::VersionList(const QString& uid, QObject* parent) : BaseVersionList(
     setObjectName("Version list: " + uid);
 }
 
-Task::Ptr VersionList::getLoadTask()
+Task::Ptr VersionList::getLoadTask(bool forceReload)
 {
     auto loadTask = makeShared<SequentialTask>(tr("Load meta for %1", "This is for the task name that loads the meta index.").arg(m_uid));
-    loadTask->addTask(APPLICATION->metadataIndex()->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online));
-    loadTask->addTask(this->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online));
+    loadTask->addTask(APPLICATION->metadataIndex()->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online, forceReload));
+    loadTask->addTask(this->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online, forceReload));
     return loadTask;
 }
 
diff --git a/launcher/meta/VersionList.h b/launcher/meta/VersionList.h
index 18681b8ed..709c361de 100644
--- a/launcher/meta/VersionList.h
+++ b/launcher/meta/VersionList.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class VersionList : public BaseVersionList, public BaseEntity {
     enum Roles { UidRole = Qt::UserRole + 100, TimeRole, RequiresRole, VersionPtrRole };
 
     bool isLoaded() override;
-    Task::Ptr getLoadTask() override;
+    Task::Ptr getLoadTask(bool forceReload = false) override;
     const BaseVersion::Ptr at(int i) const override;
     int count() const override;
     void sortVersions() override;
diff --git a/launcher/ui/dialogs/InstallLoaderDialog.cpp b/launcher/ui/dialogs/InstallLoaderDialog.cpp
index 2e9abe631..1780076e9 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/dialogs/InstallLoaderDialog.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/dialogs/InstallLoaderDialog.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ InstallLoaderDialog::InstallLoaderDialog(PackProfile* profile, const QString& ui
     buttonLayout->setContentsMargins(0, 0, 6, 6);
     #endif
     auto refreshButton = new QPushButton(tr("&Refresh"), this);
-    connect(refreshButton, &QPushButton::clicked, this, [this] { pageCast(container->selectedPage())->loadList(); });
+    connect(refreshButton, &QPushButton::clicked, this, [this] { pageCast(container->selectedPage())->loadList(true); });
     buttonLayout->addWidget(refreshButton);
 
     buttons->setOrientation(Qt::Horizontal);
diff --git a/launcher/ui/dialogs/VersionSelectDialog.cpp b/launcher/ui/dialogs/VersionSelectDialog.cpp
index 30377288b..c83fb0385 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/dialogs/VersionSelectDialog.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/dialogs/VersionSelectDialog.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ BaseVersion::Ptr VersionSelectDialog::selectedVersion() const
 
 void VersionSelectDialog::on_refreshButton_clicked()
 {
-    m_versionWidget->loadList();
+    m_versionWidget->loadList(true);
 }
 
 void VersionSelectDialog::setExactFilter(BaseVersionList::ModelRoles role, QString filter)
diff --git a/launcher/ui/java/InstallJavaDialog.cpp b/launcher/ui/java/InstallJavaDialog.cpp
index 81ffcfa83..fd8e43398 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/java/InstallJavaDialog.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/java/InstallJavaDialog.cpp
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class InstallJavaPage : public QWidget, public BasePage {
     void selectSearch() { javaVersionSelect->selectSearch(); }
     void loadList()
     {
-        majorVersionSelect->loadList();
-        javaVersionSelect->loadList();
+        majorVersionSelect->loadList(true);
+        javaVersionSelect->loadList(true);
     }
 
    public slots:
diff --git a/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.cpp b/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.cpp
index f958f064f..7a4e84f33 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.cpp
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ VersionList::VersionList(Meta::Version::Ptr version, QObject* parent) : BaseVers
         sortVersions();
 }
 
-Task::Ptr VersionList::getLoadTask()
+Task::Ptr VersionList::getLoadTask(bool forceReload)
 {
-    auto task = m_version->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online);
+    auto task = m_version->loadTask(Net::Mode::Online, forceReload);
     connect(task.get(), &Task::finished, this, &VersionList::sortVersions);
     return task;
 }
diff --git a/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.h b/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.h
index d334ed564..cf8a7448d 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.h
+++ b/launcher/ui/java/VersionList.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class VersionList : public BaseVersionList {
    public:
     explicit VersionList(Meta::Version::Ptr m_version, QObject* parent = 0);
 
-    Task::Ptr getLoadTask() override;
+    Task::Ptr getLoadTask(bool forceReload = false) override;
     bool isLoaded() override;
     const BaseVersion::Ptr at(int i) const override;
     int count() const override;
diff --git a/launcher/ui/pages/modplatform/CustomPage.cpp b/launcher/ui/pages/modplatform/CustomPage.cpp
index 87e126fd7..f24abf9fb 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/pages/modplatform/CustomPage.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/pages/modplatform/CustomPage.cpp
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ void CustomPage::openedImpl()
 
 void CustomPage::refresh()
 {
-    ui->versionList->loadList();
+    ui->versionList->loadList(true);
 }
 
 void CustomPage::loaderRefresh()
 {
     if (ui->noneFilter->isChecked())
         return;
-    ui->loaderVersionList->loadList();
+    ui->loaderVersionList->loadList(true);
 }
 
 void CustomPage::filterChanged()
diff --git a/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.cpp b/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.cpp
index 040355f4b..01b876146 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.cpp
+++ b/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.cpp
@@ -127,9 +127,9 @@ void VersionSelectWidget::closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event)
     QWidget::closeEvent(event);
 }
 
-void VersionSelectWidget::loadList()
+void VersionSelectWidget::loadList(bool forceReload)
 {
-    m_load_task = m_vlist->getLoadTask();
+    m_load_task = m_vlist->getLoadTask(forceReload);
     connect(m_load_task.get(), &Task::succeeded, this, &VersionSelectWidget::onTaskSucceeded);
     connect(m_load_task.get(), &Task::failed, this, &VersionSelectWidget::onTaskFailed);
     connect(m_load_task.get(), &Task::progress, this, &VersionSelectWidget::changeProgress);
diff --git a/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.h b/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.h
index c66d7e98e..ee9dbead7 100644
--- a/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.h
+++ b/launcher/ui/widgets/VersionSelectWidget.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class VersionSelectWidget : public QWidget {
     void initialize(BaseVersionList* vlist, bool forceLoad = false);
 
     //! Starts a task that loads the list.
-    void loadList();
+    void loadList(bool forceReload = false);
 
     bool hasVersions() const;
     BaseVersion::Ptr selectedVersion() const;